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US 12,529,737 B2Granted
Systems and methods for using improved contrast agent in performing and MRI
AssigneeRonald Day
InventorRonald Day
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AssigneeRonald Day
InventorRonald Day
Estimating the term…
The present invention relates to the use of a formation agent, such as nitric oxide or sodium nitrite to produce methemoglobin as an alternative MRI contrast agent. The formation agent can be infused using either a respiratory system or a delivery mechanism. One embodiment of this invention relates to systems and methods for producing an image of an internal region with a magnetic resonance scanning system. Blood is drawn from the patient. The blood is exposed to formation agent through a delivery system, to produce blood that has a higher saturation of methemoglobin. Where in vitro techniques are used the treated blood is injected back into the patient. The patient is scanned in the magnetic resonance scanner. These systems and methods can be used to produce images of regions which may not otherwise be possible with other contrasting agents. For example, an accurate vascular brain MRI may not be as informative if the patient is injected with an existing contrasting agent. In addition, an alternate embodiment of the invention relates to internally exposing the blood to the formation agent by placing the gas-permeable membrane along a particular blood pathway or intravenous sodium nitrite.
A method of transforming blood of a patient into an MRI contrast agent comprising:
A method for transforming blood into an MRI contrast agent comprising:
A method for using an autologous exchange transfusion or an autologous interchange transfusion of a discrete sample of blood or blood product to form an MRI contrast agent comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.